National Religious Leadership Roundtable Applauds Episcopal House of Bishops Decision to End Ban on Gay Bishops

WASHINGTON - The National Religious Leadership Roundtable, convened by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, applauds the Episcopal Church House of Bishops decision to open "any ordained ministry" to gay and lesbian clergy. The resolution was passed by the House of Bishops on Monday, while a similar measure was passed on Sunday by the House of Deputies, the other Episcopal legislative body. The House of Bishops' version will be reconsidered today by the House of Deputies. If passed the measure will undermine a moratorium on ordaining gay and lesbian bishops that was adopted at the convention three years ago.

"While concurrence on the amended resolution by the House of Deputies is necessary before it is officially adopted by the church as a whole, there is no question that the House of Bishops' vote was a historic move forward and a great day for all who support the full inclusion of all the baptized in the Body of Christ.

"It was a tremendous privilege to be a witness to the courage and candor of the bishops who spoke truth to each other and to us - and who called the Episcopal Church to speak our truth to our Anglican Communion brothers and sisters and to the world.

"The truth is we are a church committed to mission - we are a church committed to the full inclusion of all the baptized in that mission - and we are a church committed to creating as broad a place to stand as possible for all who wish to be part of this great adventure of being disciples of Jesus.

"In this carefully constructed and prayerfully considered resolution, our presiding bishop got what she both asked for and voted for: a positive statement about where we are as a church in 2009 - a church striving to actually become the church former Presiding Bishop Edmond Browning called us to be nearly 20 years ago now, a church where there are no outcasts.

"The debate on the floor of the House of Bishops made it very clear that our bishops knew exactly what they were doing when they passed this by a nearly 2-1 margin. The resolution passed by the House of Bishops was another step in the Episcopal Church's 'coming out' process - and it sends a strong 'come and see' message to anyone looking for a faith community where God's inclusive love is not just proclaimed but practiced."

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